Volume Eleven - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - some more aspects - The Growth of Wesleyan Methodism at Penarth . . .

February 11th -  Since the 3rd. of this month, I have been laid aside with sickness, occasioned either by repeatedly getting thoroughly wet in going to preach, or by visiting persons afflicted with small-pox and fever, or by a combination of both causes. An attack of small-pox was feared, but happily it was averted, and I am now recovering.

February 19th - Preached here and visited the Sunday-school. Our congregations, in our beautiful new chapel, are large and increasing ;  and our Sunday-school is prospering. The pious and energetic labour of the teachers is being rewarded, as they have secured one-hundred and thirty children, and the average attendance is eighty. Some of these children were of the roughest sort ; but there is great improvement shown in their behaviour. we may truly say, the Lord is among us, and is prospering the work of our hands.

The previous year, the Reverend James Shearman had written the following letter dated 28th October 1864 :-

We are thankful that the beautiful chapel, built here during the past year, is opened, and is well attended. It has cost £1,850, (equivalent to £164k in 2021), toward which £1,200 has been realized. . . . The Chapel will be, doubtless, filled, when the large new Docks are opened, as we expect them to be early in the coming year. Our congregations, meanwhile, gradually and steadily improve.

Three years since, Methodism had scarcely any footing here ; whilst prize-fighting, gambling, cock-fighting, and other evils abounded ; evils which have now almost passed away.

The Chapel in question was built in Arcot Street and the foundation stone, laid during October 1863, as the following press report details :-

1863 - New Wesleyan Chapel - On Wednesday last, the foundation stone of the Wesleyan Chapel was laid by Miss Morgan, of Barry. A large number of ladies and gentlemen met in the Calvinistic Methodist chapel, and proceeded to the spot soon after three o'clock, but as the rain continued to fall in torrents, the ceremony was delayed, in the hope that the weather would clear up.